Our Services
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine through which very fine needles are placed along the meridians of the body to stimulate the body’s natural healing. Over 3,000 years ago the Chinese realized that when energy (qi) and blood were no longer flowing properly through the channels of body, pain and disease would follow.
The modern scientific explanation for the way acupuncture works is that needling the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. Regulation of the nervous system aids the activity of pain-killing bio-chemicals such as endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites in the body. In addition, studies have shown that acupuncture may alter brain chemistry by changing the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones.
Chinese Herbal Formulas
Michele is licensed in Chinese Herbal medicine. but does not make Chinese herbal formulas at the clinic and she carries only few patent herbal formulas. We will send you to the local Chinese Herb store, Yong Sheng, with a prescription if you require Chinese herbs.
Auricular (Ear) Acupuncture
Your ears, like your hands and feet, have the most nerve endings in your body. By placing tiny needles in specific points in the ear which correspond to specific parts of the body an electrical impulse travels via the brain to that part of the body being treated to stimulate healing. Although auricular acupuncture is most known for treating addictions and PTSD it can assist in treating any health concern you may have.
Yoga Nidra by Zoom and Yoga Nidra with acupuncture (Needles & Nidra)
During the pandemic Michele started offering a free Zoom Yoga Nidra on Wednesdays 3pm – 3:40pm. She reads a Yoga Nidra script and then if time discuss a few acupressure points for stress and anxiety. She will send out the Zoom link once a month in the newsletter. You can do this at home or any place you have a quiet pace to rest for 30-40 minutes.
On Thursdays for $25 Michele offers Needles and Nidra. This is 15 – 20 minutes of light movement followed by Yoga Nidra in savasana with needles for stress and anxiety. Everyone gets the same needles. The class is limited to 8 participants. You can sign up in the Book Now section under classes.
Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation. It is great for stress and anxiety and also just a great way to take a nice break on a busy day. Just 30 minutes of Yoga Nidra is equal to 4 hours of sleep. Michele did a yoga teacher training in 2019 and fell in love with the Yoga Nidra and feels grateful to be able to offer it to her patients. Whether on Zoom or in person Yoga Nidra is a wonderful and easy way to help regulate the nervous system
Battlefield Acupuncture
Battlefield Acupuncture is a form of auricular acupuncture that is used to treat pain. It was first invented and used by the military but because it is so effective it has now moved into the acupuncture world. Tiny needles are inserted into specific points in the ear. After each needle is inserted you will be asked to walk around the lobby for about 20 seconds to activate the needle. Up to 10 needles are used but the treatment stops when the pain level is down to a 0-1. While many feel better after 1-4 needles, others may require all 10. These small needles called ASP needles stay in your ear for 3-5 days. You will be sent home with a care sheet. This treatment costs a little extra because the cost of these special needles is higher than the average acupuncture needle.
Other Modalities We May Use:
- Gua Sha – we put an oil on your skin and then use a special tool to scrape the skin. This will possibly leave red marks/bruising (called Sha). The idea is that it is bringing blood to the surface to help the tissues to heal. This is great for qi and blood stagnation. The effects are similar to cupping. We do not have time to do cupping in our busy acupuncture clinic and Gua Sha only takes a few moments.
- Moxabustion: Depending on the amount of patients in the room and the time Michele has, for your safety we may use a moxa gel rather than burning a moxa stick over the area. These have the same effect. Moxabustion is often used to warm cold and move stagnation in the body.
